How to Avoid Being Ripped Off by Online Job Ads

It seems as if nowadays there are more scam jobs on the web than there are real job ads. Job seekers are undereducated on this online job scam issue. Recent graduates tend to be the ones who get suckered into this type of fraud or scam. These scammers are constantly coming up with new ways to rip off job seekers.

After being ripped off myself, I can personally tell you the red flags that no one will teach you about online job hunting.

Since this issue hasn’t been addressed publicly and it doesn’t seem like there’s an end in sight.

Here are some red flags while on the job hunt:

A picture says a thousand words. If the online job ads have a lot of pretty, perfect looking pictures and smiling “employees” everywhere it might be a scam. A good company isn’t derived from happy employees necessarily. It’s about their work ethic and their numbers which make it a good company.

You may have heard about Quantum Code. They are a fake organization. Have a look at these images, and you will get the idea.

Google. After being tricked into almost going into an interview for a scam sales job, I decided that I would Google search every company I was applying for (that I hadn’t heard about). Please do your homework before applying for any job to avoid being ripped off or scammed.

A few signs of a job ad scam or ripoff are if the ad has a vague job title such as Admin Assistant or Customer Service Rep, jobs ads where “Telecommunicating is Ok” is indicated, spelling or grammar errors, the ad states “No Experience Necessary” but a high pay is promised, fails to list a specific job location. And keep a close eye on how the employer emails you. If they send generic emails please check the content of the email including websites and links.

BBB.org. The BBB, or the Better Business Bureau, is the report card for businesses. Here you can learn more about the business you are applying for. Most scam companies beat around the bush when you ask them what they do. And want you to wait until you come in for the initial interview where you would be informed about the company and what your position would entail. If it’s hard to understand what a company does via its own website. So use the BBB to gather accurate information on a company.

Let’s say you have already applied and received a response to your resume. Here is where you have to make sure you aren’t a victim of fraud.

A special type of online job scam is a ” payment-forwarding ” theme where the employer might ask you for:

Banking information, PayPal accounts, and credit card numbers.

Permission to directly deposit paychecks or funds into your account.

A forward, transfer, or “wire” to the employer.

A portion of payment or to transfer money.

Buying a product (which then you would sell).

Social Security Card Number.

Remember that employers do use direct deposit for paychecks. But if they don’t offer another payment option then that’s a red flag and you shouldn’t accept it.

A legitimate employer would not ask you to do any of the above-listed things, especially over the web.

I have also been scammed into doing a credit check through an online service which was intended for a job opportunity. After not hearing back from the employer I figured they had just wanted me to pay the credit check and wasn’t getting a job.

Remember a non-scam company wouldn’t ask you to do anything (besides a drug test) before actually being hired, especially via the web. Your resume has delicate information and you should be wary of where you forward it.

Carefully investigate companies that you are interested in.

Be innovative as well while in your search.

You can use social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to get feedback on a certain company.